Cord Blood Registry® and U.S. Women's Health Alliance Launch Quality Initiative to Accelerate Clinical Research Using Umbilical Cord Stem Cells to Treat Various Medical Conditions

SAN BRUNO, Calif. and PARSIPPANY, N.J., Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cord Blood Registry® (CBR) and the U.S. Women's Health Alliance announced today their partnership on a nationwide patient education and quality initiative to ensure all expectant parents understand their options regarding umbilical cord stem cell collection and possibly improve medical outcomes for their families.

Together, the Alliance and CBR will educate parents on umbilical cord and tissue banking options and advance clinical research by screening for high-risk pregnancies and families pre-diagnosed with a condition that might benefit from participating in CBR's Newborn Possibilities Program®, which provides free cord blood and cord tissue processing and five years of storage to qualifying families. The Alliance and CBR will also collaborate to improve the quality of cord blood collections to maximize the number of cells collected and minimize contamination.

"Our mission is to promote high-quality, affordable healthcare through collaboration with doctors, insurance companies, hospitals, government and private industry," said Jack Feltz, M.D, president of the U.S. Women's Health Alliance.  "We are pleased to partner with CBR, a pioneer in cord blood stem cell collection and storage as part of our goal to improve patient care. The Alliance and CBR encourage expectant parents to follow the Institute of Medicine's recommendation to seek a 'balanced perspective' on their cord blood options.

"Many expectant parents are unaware of the value that umbilical cord blood stem cells may offer to the advancement of medicine and potentially, to their own family's health. As a result, most newborn stem cells are discarded as medical waste," says Geoff Crouse, CEO of Cord Blood Registry.  "Stem cells found in the umbilical cord play a vital role in advancing regenerative medicine, and have the potential to revolutionize treatment for many conditions in the future. We are proud to partner with The U.S. Women's Health Alliance to help their women's health care group practices educate patients on the options and benefits of banking their child's stem cells."

About Cord Blood Registry
Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®) is the world's largest newborn stem cell company.  For the past 20 years, CBR has led the industry in product quality and innovation.  CBR is entrusted by parents with storing more than 500,000 cord blood and cord tissue units, more than any other family cord blood bank. CBR's research and development efforts are focused on helping clinical researchers advance regenerative medicine by investing in groundbreaking therapies using a child's own cord blood stem cells as possible treatment for conditions that have no cure today.

CBR is the only family newborn stem cell bank pioneering FDA-regulated clinical trials through exclusive partnerships with leading medical institutions exploring the use of newborn stem cells to treat a variety of serious conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, pediatric stroke, and acquired hearing loss. CBR's Newborn Possibilities Program® serves as catalyst to advance the clinical application of newborn stem cells by offering free banking for families that have a qualifying medical need. For more information, visit www.cordblood.com.

About the U.S. Women's Health Alliance
The U.S. Women's Health Alliance is a partnership of 17 healthcare groups with nearly one thousand physicians caring for millions of women across the country. The Alliance is designed to promote high-quality, affordable healthcare through collaboration with doctors, insurance companies, hospitals, government and private industry.

For more information about the US Women's Health Alliance please visit the web at www.uswha.com.

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SOURCE Cord Blood Registry and the U.S. Women’s Health Alliance